Wolves started their pre-season tour of the United States with a win however, Matheus Cunha’s injury was a point of concern.
After playing Como and Bristol City to start pre-season, Wolves were tested against Premier League opposition in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The Old Gold defeated West Ham to open their tour of the United States as Julen Lopetegui watched his new side lose 3-1 to his former club.
There are plenty of positives for Gary O’Neil to take from the game as a goal from Matheus Cunha and a Rodrigo Gomes brace settled the score although, there was one concern that came from the victory.
Gary O’Neil shares update on Matheus Cunha’s injury in Wolves pre-season win over West Ham
After opening the scoring in the 19th minute, Cunha caught the attention of many however, the Brazilian was forced to withdraw after just half an hour.
O’Neil had to make an early substitution as the Wolves forward suffered an injury against the Hammers, causing many watching fans to worry as the new season draws closer.
Speaking after the game, the boss shared an update on Cunha’s fitness, via Wolves’ official website.
“He has some awareness behind his knee, so when he played a pass with the outside of his foot, he felt a slight pain behind his knee. It’s disappointing.
“With the game being delayed and the wet pitch, they work so hard and are finely tuned, so it doesn’t take much to throw them.
“That was my main concern in the build-up, that we needed a game, but how much we increased the risk of injury on players.”
The pitch at the EverBank Stadium suffered at the hands of a storm, as torrential rain tested the work of the groundsmen.
O’Neil was concerned about the weather and the impact it would have on his players on the pitch but remained transparent on the cause of Cunha’s injury.
“You never know, Matheus could have got injured if it was 7pm. Disappointing, as pleased as I am with the other stuff, there’s still that.
“Matheus is incredibly important to us, but the early signs don’t look bad. He won’t be risked again until he’s completely fine, so the next few days I can provide an update.”
Wolves will hope Cunha’s injury is not serious
A strong pre-season is integral ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign, which kicks off in under three weeks.
Having contributed to 19 goals in the league last term, Cunha played a significant role in O’Neil’s front line, stressing the importance of having him fit and firing this summer.
Wolves are back in action in the US pre-season tour on Thursday where Crystal Palace await them, a fixture that many will hope to see Cunha a part of after his early exit against West Ham.